Refrigerator cabinet



March 7, 1939. w, qo s 2,149,807

REFRIGERATOR CABINET' Original Filed Jan. 23, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l "'IIIIIIHHIJQMWHII I mil!! l 'INVENTQR. W V W. D. Conms.

W. D. COLLINS REFRIGERATOR CABINET Original Filed Jan. 23, 1955 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. D Co\ ins ATTORNEY March 7, 1939 w i ow W W m March 7, 1939. w, DI'CQLLINS 2,149,807

' REFRIGERATOR CABINET Original Filed Jan. 23, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.

W. D. CoH'ms.

Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR, CABINET William D. Collins, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y'., a corporation of Delaware 11 Claims.

This invention relates to cabinet construction and more particularly to refrigerator cabinet structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a trim for the door frame, or opening of a refrigerator cabinet and a corresponding trim for the door which are of improved appearance, of less expensive construction both from the viewpoint of material and labor, and constructions providing minimum heat leakage through the door opening.

A further object of this invention is to provide a construction requiring a minimum of labor to assemble or 'remove and one devoid of all visible screws: or other fastening elements.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following'description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation illustrating a refrigerator constructed in accordance with the present invention; 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 .is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken at right angles to the section of Fig. 3 and on the line 4-4 thereof;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section;

Fig. 6 is a rear perspective of one of the side trims;

Fig. '7 is a vertical section on the line l--i of Fig. 1;

Fig. I 8 is a rear elevation of the door with part broken away to disclose its construction;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary rear detail;

members II which form a front frame. An

outer metal shell I! has its edge It bent at right angles and disposed in slightly overlapping relation to the inner face of the frame members Ill and II. A liner Id of porcelain or other acid resisting material has its edge disposed in a 'manner to also engage the inner face of the frame members and is secured thereto by nails or any desired fastening elements, not shown.

A rubber gasket l5 U-shaped in cross section Fig. 10 is a fragmentary rear corner perspecfits over the edge of the liner to close the joint and form a heat insulating element between a molding or breaker strip 16 and the frame members l0 and H. The molding or breaker strip I6 is disposed around the four sides of the frame forming the door opening and provides an inclined trim for the opening being disposed at an angle or slanting outwardly from its rear to the front edge.

In order to secure the molding IS in position the frame members I0 and H are preferably provided with a longitudinal groove or channel ii for the reception of a backing or mounting strip i8-which supports the molding or trim i5.

The mounting strip or backing I8 is glued or cemented to the molding or trim strip prior to application and the mounting strip is also provided with a plurality of double-ended .nails I9 by means of which the trim strip and supporting mounting are secured in place. In applying the trim, the mounting strip is placed in the groove i1 and hammered to drive the double-ended nails into the frame, thus forming a sealing means for the joint between the outer shell and the liner of the cabinet.

In assembling, the bottom trim assembly is first applied with the mounting strip located in the groove of the lower cross member of the frame and then the left and right assemblies are applied in the uprights of'the'frame. The side trim assemblies are constructed in such a manner that the reinforcing and supporting strips i8 extend beyond the trim strip centralizing the bottom strip and overlap and retain the same in position. The top'trim assembly or key strip is then applied to the top cross rail by inserting the end of the backing GB of the reinforcing and supporting strip above the upright end of the trim assembly at the left side and then forcing the opposite end in position. If desired, a fastening screw may be inserted through the upper frame member to secure the end of the upper or key strip in position, such screw being inserted through a hole drilled through the top cross member of the front frame.

I In order to remove the trim assembly it is necessary to reverse the order of assembly 'just described.

The process of securing the composition strips to the reinforcing strips will now be described. The trim or breaker strips may .be formed of a composition or other desired material having poor heat conducting properties and, the reinforcing or mounting strips of wood or similar or trim strip.

material preferably beveled as shown. Such strips, as shown, may be formed of relatively thin material about two inches in width and the reinforcing or mounting strips are about 1% inch in width. The two strips just described are secured. together by means of a waterproof glue having a strong adhesive bond.

The under surface of the thin breaker strip is first roughened by means of a sand blast or the like in order to provide a surface to which the glue may readily adhere. In order to provide the necessary adhesion it has been found that casein glue is satisfactory provided the surfaces are clamped together until the glue has time to set. In order to shorten the time of operation heat and pressure have been found advantageous in performing the gluing operation.

The bevel surfaces of the reinforcing strips are applied to a gluing roller and are placed in presses with the bevel-surface in a horizontal position, the breaker strips being then applied with roughened surfaces resting upon the glue coated beveled surfaces of the reinforcing strips, whereupon the strips are pressed together under a pressure of approximately 200 lbs. per sq. in. and are heated to a temperature of 250 F. with approximately 40 lbs. steam pressure. The time of this operation requires approximately ten minutes, after which the breaker strips with the molding strips glued thereto are removed and are ready for the application of double-headed nails sothat they can be secured to the cabinet. By this process the breaker and molding strips are so firmly united that they cannot be separated without fracturing the breaker strips. The use of screws or other fastening elements is, therefore, eliminated reducing the cost of construction and-providinga finish that is of an improved appearance.

Referring to Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive of the draw.- ings, there is disclosed a door construction provided with a trim corresponding to the trim described with reference to the preceding figures. However, the door construction being different from that of the door frame a slightly different problem is presented in the application of the trim.

The door is formed of an outer shell 20 and an inner shell 2|, a wooden framework being employed for connecting the shells. The wooden framework comprises end members 22 and side members 23, the end members being of a length to extend eniirely across the width of the shell 20 and with a thin flange 24 projecting beneath the inwardly turned extremity 25 of the shell 20 forming a supporting shelf. The side members 23 extend merely between the end members of the frame but are provided with-flanges 26 which extend beneath and support the inturned portion 25 of the metal at the side edge of the door. The side and end frame members may be formed of any desired number of parts,- two being shown.

ing a molding or breaker strip 21 and a supporting and attaching member 28 therefor, the side and end frame members are provided with longitudinal, channels or grooves 29 and 30 respectively and the supporting member 28 is provided with a diagonal slot 31 for cooperation with a pin 32 isposed in an opening 33 in the frame member, said pin projecting into the groove in an amount substantially equal to the depth of the slot. With this cons ruction the trim assembly is applied with the pin in the slot and the assembly is tapped endwise to bring the parts into tight engagement.

Since the present is an external trim, the reverse of the trim on the door frame, it is not practical to interlock the trim in position in the same manner. However, to accomplish this objective 00- operating slots and pins are employed intermediate the extremities of the side and end trim assemblies, and brackets are employed at the corners, It is immaterial which trim is applied first since, as is shown in Fig. 8, each trim is sufficiently short that it does not materially interfere with the adjoining trims. The trims being applied at the four sides'of the door, metal brackets 34 are placed at thecorners and such brackets are secured in position by screws 35, or other desired fastenings; such fastening means being inserted direc'ly into the wooden corner frame but not through the breaker strip. In applying the pins 32, holes are drilled through the frame member as shown in Fig. 7 and the pins, being slightly larger than the holes, are then driven into proper position.

The door fits loosely within the door frame 36 and in order to close the space between the door and the frame to prevent leakage of heat therethrough a gasket 31 is provided, said gasket being adapted to be secured in position by means of small nails or other fastening means not shown, and also adapted to have i s inner extremity engaged by the breaker strip which binds it against the flange of the door frame, the material of the frame at the inner edge of the flange being cut away to accommodate the edge'of the "gasket.

With the above construction the door is provided with a finish which is substantially the same in appearance as the finish of the door frame and of a construction generally similar.

As shown in Fig. 12 a slightly different construction may be employed. In this figure the .breaker strip 38 is formed of a strip provided with a surface coating of pyralin 39' or similar material applied after the strip has been secured to a supporting and attaching strip which has been secured thereto by nails 40 or other desired fastenthe frame, a trim strip for.finishing the joint between said overlapping edges, a longitudinal reinforcing backing for said trim strip, said frame having a groove to receive the reinforcing backing said backing and trim strip being provided with inclined slot and pin means'whereby' longitudinal relative movement between the trim strip In order to accommodate a trim assembly includand frame will draw the parts .tightly together providing concealed fastening means for the frame and trim strip. 4 v

2. Cabinet construction comprising a frame, in-

' ner and outer shells carried by said frame and within the channel in the frame, and doubleended nails in said last-mentioned portion for fastening the trim in position.

3. Cabinet construction comprising inner and outer shells, a frame between said shells providing an opening into the cabinet having bottom, top, and left and right sides, a trim for each side of the door frame, the side trims extending downwardly beyond the ends of the bottom trim and having a portion overlying the top of the bottom trim whereby the bottom trim is prevented from moving upwardly and the sides trims are prevented from moving inwardly, the top trim having one end extending over one of the side trims and having a portion abutting the side of the side trim preventing inward movement of the side or top trim at the joint, and means for fastening the other end of the top trim in-position.

4. Cabinet construction comprising inner and outer shells, a frame between said shells providing an opening into the cabinet having bottom, top, and left and right sides, a trim for each side of the frame, the side trims extending downwardly beyond the ends of the bottom trim whereby the bottom trim is prevented from moving upwardly and the side trims are prevented from moving inwardly, the top trim having one end extending over one of the side trims and having a portion abutting the side of the side trim preventing inward movement of the side or top trim at the joint, and means inserted downwardly through the upper portion of the frame forfastening the other end of the top trim in position.

5. Refrigerator cabinet construction comprising a frame, wall plates overlapping said frame, said frame being provided with a groove between the edges of said wall plates, a heat insulating strip overlying said groove in the frame and having its edges extending in overlapping relation to said wall plate and providing a finish for the joint between said overlapping plates, a backing strip reinforcing said heat insulating strip, said backing strip forming in effect a tongue resting in said groove, means in said groove fastening said backing member and frame together to maintain said heat insulating strip in place, and adhesive means fastening together said backing strip and said heat insulating strip.

6. A refrigerator breaker strip for closing the gap or open joint between two metallic edges comprising a substantially flat insulating finishing trim, said trim having a longitudinal reinforcement on its back said reinforcement carry ing means concealed from the front but projecting inwardly in the form of naillike fasteners whereby said strip may be applied by pounding on the front side.

'1. Cabinet construction comprising an insulating frame member, wall plates of small insulating value overlapping said frame member, a heat in- 60 sulating strip forming a trim for the frame member between overlapping edges of said wall plates and bridging said plates said insulating frame member and said strip having long cooperating strip having long cooperating longitudinally disposed interfitting portions freely insertable one within the other, and fastening means therebetween for retaining the same in assembled relation.

9. Cabinet construction comprising an insulating frame, wall plates overlapping said frame, a heat'insulating strip bridging said plates and forming a trim for the frame, relatively long reinforcing means disposed longitudinally of said framefor fastening said strips in position intermediate their extremities by the application of force against the strip, and means adjacent the extremities of contiguous strips for locking said strips together.

10. Cabinet construction comprising an insulating frame having a grooved surface, wall plates overlapping said surface, a heat insulating finishing trim for said frame bridging said plates, said trim comprising a plurality of relatively thin strips each having a longitudinally disposed reinforcing rib on its back for location in the groove of the frame, concealed means between said rib and groove portions for fastening said portions together intermediate their extremities, and

' means adjacent the extremities of contiguous foot compartment, an outer metal sheet forming" a part exterior boundary, said sheets being spaced to provide an insulation space, said inner and outer sheets having edges spaced to provide a wide gap across the path of heat flow into the cabinet, a strip of relatively thin heat insulating material spanning said gap and providing a transverse connecting trim, a reinforcing backing member of rigid material secured to said strip and received within said gap, said backing member serving as a supporting reinforcement for the strip to prevent warping of the same, and means on the backing member to secure the same at one or more places along the length of the strip and to maintain the backing memberessentially out of heat transmitting relation between said sheets.

- WILLIAM D. COLLINS. 

